I didn’t know what to expect in Rwanda. Since a young age, I was taught about the tragic Genocide that marked the country. Since my African History lessons in High School, I imagined Rwanda to be a country where poverty and tragedy were the norms. I am sure I cannot be the only person who got stuck with this stereotype, as most people who I told I was headed there next would look quite puzzled as to WHY exactly I would want to visit such a turmoiled place.

After being in Uganda and Kenya, I expected Rwanda to be the hardest country to travel in.

And boy, was I wrong.

I was surprised how much development there was all around the country. As you get closer to Kigali, the lush scenes of thousands of hills will strike you. Even inside the city center, everything is still SO green! There is a structure in the way the city is built, there are regulations on driving, there is rarely any corruption and everything is SO clean.

I never expected this much development, especially considering the country’s lack of resources and sea ports. Slightly over two decades after the country’s tragic division, the whole community has united and worked to build a common Rwanda.

I was mind-blown at how fast the country has rebuilt itself and its methods to do so. I believe most countries in the world could learn a thing or two from this tiny country dubbed “The Land of a Thousand Hills”.

Here’s what we could learn from her:

Plastic bags are a no-no

Non-biodegradable plastic bags were banned from the country in 2008 as a way to maintain a clean environment. Rwandans use only bags made our of paper, cloth, papyrus and banana leaves. This has not only made Rwanda the cleanest city in Africa, but it has also helped to boost the economy by providing entrepreneurs with a new business idea, as many invested in alternative packaging materials.

It’s the most pro-women country in the world

Following the tragic Genocide, President Kagame realized the country could not be rebuilt using only the efforts of men. In 2003, the new constitution stated that 30% of parliamentary seats should be reserved for women and since then. During the 2003’s elections, 32% of the seats were appointed to women, and in the following election – 64%. Today, more women in Rwanda have been given leadership roles than in any other country in the world.

Rwandans unite, despite their differences, to make their country a better place

Every last Saturday of the month, Rwandans practice “Umuganda”, which means “working together to achieve a common purpose”

Put in simple words, almost every Rwandan (between the age of 18 and 65) has to do service for a variety of public work: this can include infrastructure development (building and restoring schools, clinics, hospitals, etc) as well as environmental protection work.

No Labels

After the events that divided the country in 1994, the education system discourages students since a young age from identifying themselves as Hutu or Tutsi and instead, they are encouraged to focus on building a common Rwanda.

 

It’s SO green!

Rwanda is succeeding at environmental conservation. It has protected and restored back to health ecosystems such as wetlands, lakes, and forests. Thanks to this, the tourism sector has grown, bringing in foreign currency into the country.

The restoration of wetlands such as Rugezi has recovered water lever and, through this, it has increased hydropower production and boosted the country’s fishing sector.

Rwanda was awarded the Green Globe Award in 2010.

These are just a few examples of the incredible environmental work Rwanda is doing. If you are interested in reading further on, head over to this page.

Rwanda, I am proud of you and my hopes for you are endless.

 

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